Policies: Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity

True learning requires free and open debate, civil discourse and tolerance of many different individuals and ideas. We are preparing students to live and work in a world that speaks with many voices and from many cultures. Tolerance is not only essential to learning, it is an essential to be learned. The University of Wisconsin–Madison is built upon these values and will act vigorously to defend them. We will maintain an environment conducive to teaching and learning that is free from intimidation for all.

In its resolve to create this positive environment, the UW–Madison will ensure compliance with federal and state laws protecting against discrimination. In addition, the UW–Madison has adopted policies that both emphasize these existing protections and supplement them with protections against discrimination that are not available under either federal or state law.

Federal and state laws provide separate prohibitions against discrimination that is based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry, age, or disability. State law additionally prohibits discrimination that is based on sexual orientation, arrest or conviction record, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, military status, or veteran status. The application of specific state prohibitions on discrimination may be influenced by an individual's status as an employee or student.

Department of Defense personnel policies governing enlistment and commissioning of armed forces personnel and awarding of Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarships to UW–Madison students do discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and UW–Madison faculty, staff and student governance groups have registered their strong opposition to this discrimination and urge the Department of Defense to change its policy.

University policies create additional protections that prohibit harassment on the basis of cultural background and ethnicity. Inquiries concerning this policy may be directed to the appropriate campus admitting or employing unit or to the Office for Equity and Diversity, 179A Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706, 608/263-2378 or (TDD) 608/263-2473.